In a world dominated by fast fashion, Nadine El Shater is navigating a new course toward sustainability and community with Virclo, an Egyptian social thrifting app. Launched in 2020, Virclo is a vibrant marketplace that connects fashion enthusiasts with both new and preloved items in fashion, beauty, and health. The company was founded by Nadine together with her sister Sandra El Shater, alongside their business partners Ahmed Hisham, and Mohamed El Khouly. The idea for Virclo sparked from a personal need after El Shater’s wedding. Faced with a wedding dress she knew would never be worn again, El Shater found herself grappling with how to sell it. “Back in 2016, the only option I had was Facebook groups, which felt inadequate and impersonal,” she recalls. This realization struck her: If she was struggling to find a suitable platform, many others must be facing similar challenges. Taking into account the environmental toll of fast fashion, El Shater felt motivated to create a solution that enables people to sell their items while promoting more sustainable consumption. “There is no Planet B,” she says, underscoring her belief that we cannot continue consuming without…
Thrifting with a Twist: How Nadine El Shater is Shaping Fashion in Egypt
October 2, 2025
By Belal Nawar
Senior Journalist
